Hey Jupiter

Becky and I have been working as a team to design (me) and dye (Becky) yarn and a pair of socks for the Yarn4Socks June sock club shipment.

This has been a wonderful process – to be able to help brainstorm over colors and pattern ideas with another person, all to have it emerge as one beautiful, cohesive design. The sock took me a little longer than usual to design and knit, but that was partially because I wanted to wallow in the experience and truly enjoy it.

Becky has selected her luxuriously soft technicolor smoosh toes base (75% superwash extrafine merino, 25% nylon) and has dyed it in a beautiful semi-solid red-orange. The color is called Pa Hoe Hoe Flow, after a particular type of lava flow that occurs in Hawaii. Check it out:

Amazing, right? Becky and her beautiful world of colors never cease to amaze me. When I received the yarn, I kind of stared at it for a few days. I left it out on my desk, so I would always notice it. So many things sprang to mind when the package arrived, I wasn’t sure what type of design I wanted.

Ultimately, I decided I wanted a pattern that would flow down the sock, much like the lava the color was named after. I added a few yarn overs to make it fancy, and some twisted ribbing to allow for some stretch and intricate details, and voila. The design features a patterned toe and heel as well. I am proud to present a sneak preview of “Hey Jupiter”, the Yarn4Socks June club sock pattern:

Have I caught your attention? I should hope so! Be sure to hit up Yarn4Socks before it’s too late! The June club is $35, including shipping. The Hey Jupiter sock pattern is available through Yarn4Socks for the duration of the June club, and then it will be listed for sale here, as well as Ravelry.

The color of this yarn is named after a particular type of lava flow found in Hawaii. Pele is the Hawaiian goddess of fire, lightning, volcanoes, and dance. It seems only fitting that name of this sock pattern would have similar origins. Named after the Tori Amos song of the same title, these socks were inspired by the beautiful violence of the goddess Pele, pah hoe hoe lava, and the album Boys for Pele on which “Hey Jupiter” is featured.

Materials: dkKnits technicolor smoosh toes (75% superwash merino wool, 25% nylon; 440 yd per 100g skein), shown in Pa Hoe Hoe Flow. Available for purchase at dkknits.etsy.com or yarn4socks.com.

Recommended needles: One 32” US 1 (2.25mm) circular needle

Gauge: Variable based on needle size.

Sizes: Foot circumference, unstretched: 7.6”. Sizing may be adjusted by increasing needle size or adding selvedge stitches (I would recommend k1tbl, pt ribbing for a selvedge that matches the pattern).

Pattern notes: This pattern is written using the Magic Loop method. Charts and written instructions are provided for the stitch pattern. Due to the ribbing, as well as the increases and decreases in this pattern, the sock has a decent amount of stretch. Sock is shown modeled on a women’s US size 7.5 foot.

Skills needed: increasing, decreasing, twisted stitches, basic sock construction.